Water-diaphragm for steam-boilers



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. TITGOMB.

WATER DIAPHRAGM FOR STEAM BOILERS,

No. 339,599. PatentedApr. 6, 1886,.,

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W. TITCO'MB.

WATER DIAPHRAGM POR STEAM B'OILERS. No. 339,599. Patented Apr. 6, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Enron.

wINsLow T1TcoMB,oE WTERVTLLE,MA1NE.

WATER-DIAPHRAGM FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION orming part of Letters Patent No. 339,599, dated April 6, 1886. Application filediDccember 18. 1885. Serial No. 186.069. Y (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WINsLow TrrooMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterville, in the county ot' Keunebec and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vater-Diaphragms for Steanroilers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon7 which form a part of this specication.

My invention relates to water-diaphragms for steam-boilers, particularly those of locomotives; and the object of my invention is to provide a water-diaphragm to be placed in the refbox of a locomotive to divert the iireagainst the crown-sheet, which diaphragm shall be so constructed as to insure a perfect water-circulation with the boiler, and which shall be readily removed in case repairs to the Hue-sheet or any part of the lire-box are necessary.

One of the difficulties with the locomotive as now ordinarily constructed is, that the strong blast coming up through the coal-fire frequently carries with it masses of coal, and, forcing lthem against the flue-sheet, plugs up the dues. To remedy this difficulty and to deflect the tire upward and backward against the crownsheet, for the purpose of increasing the heatiDgsuraco, arches or diaphragms'ot' lire-brick are sometimes used. rest on brackets attached to the sides of the re-boX7 and it sometimes happens that when the fire has been drawn the walls of the firebox are made to crack and leak, because the tire-brick arch holds its heat and keeps the adjacent walls of the iire-box expanded while the rest of the boiler is cooling oft. They also lill up the space within the tire-box to such an extent that when any repairs are to be made on the flue-sheet, the., the arches have to be taken downand rebuilt-an operation attended with considerable labor and expense. Vater-arches have sometimes been used to overcome this diculty and to increase the heating-surfe ce of the boiler; but such arches have not come into general use, because, being attached to the boiler in a more or less permanent manner, they have been in the way when These fire-brick arches it was desired to make repairs within the fire box.

In constructing my waterdiaphragm I conneet it with the water-space of the boiler by pipes opening from the top and bottom of the diaphragm, and thence passing through the water-legs at the sides of the lire-box and returning into the water-space, the pipes being 6o coupled in such a way that they can be un screwed from the outside of the boiler and removed from the diaphragm, which is then perfectly free to be removed by slipping down inside therebox.

1n the accompanying drawings,in two sheets, Figure l is a central longitudinal section through a locomotive-boiler containing my device. Fig. 2 is a section through a; x of Fig.

1. Fig. 3 is a section through the diaphragm 7o at y y of Fig. l. Fig. et is a plan or top view ot' diaphragm.

E is the locomotiveboiler, and D the waterlegs or water-space around the tire-box.

E is the tire-box, F the crown'sheet, and G 75 the line-sheet and H the iiues.

A is the water-diaphragm, its ends A A being rounded and its sides o a being somewhat rounded, to enable it to be putinto place with an easy tit, as will be hereinafter explained. 8o

a a' are staybolts. YV hen placediu the lirebox, the diaphragm extends the entire width from'sideto side ot`tliefiie-box,and fromapoint a short distance-say threev inches-from the ends of the lower ilues backward and upward to a point sufficiently far from the door and below the crown-sheet to allow of a free passage for the products of combustion. Iprefer to place the lower side of the diaphragm on a line from the ends ofthe lower dues to the top of 9o the door, and the ends being about three inches and twenty inches from the ends of the ilues and the door, respectively. The position and size of the diaphragm is a matter that is to be governed by circumstance. Two pipes, B B, are screwed into the sides of the upper end of the diaphragm A-one on each side-and these pipes pass through bushings B out through the Water-space D to the outside of the boiler. From thence the pipe B goes upward, and is roo tapped into the' boiler at some point below the lowswater line. The unionjoint b connects the ends of the pipe. T he bushing B makes a steam-tight fit with the boiler; butthe pipe B may pass through the bushing with an easy fit. The two pipes C C lead from the lower end of the diaphragm A in the same manner as the pipes B, and are tapped into the boiler at apoint well down on the water-leg, opening into the water-space D. The pipes C are also supplied with unions c. As here shown,\the Weight of the diaphragm is sustained by the pipes B B and C C; but brackets may be riv-` eted to the inside of the nre-box immediately below each pipe to relieve the pipes from the strain and sustain the diaphragm when the pipes are being removed. .Vhen the boiler is iired up, the diaphragm deiiects the ire upward against the crown-sheet, and also prevents the plugging of the lues, as before described. As fast as the water in the diaphragm is heated, it passes out of the pipes B and thence into the upper part of the Waterspace of the boiler, where the water is hottest, while the cooler water from the bottom of the waterlegs is drawn in to take its place. By con necting thus with the upper and lower portion ofthe waterspace of the boiler I secure the best possible circulation of water through the diaphragm. By drawing a supply from the cooler Water in the bottom of the water-leg I materially improve the circulation in the water-legs themselves, and also of the rest ofthe boiler.

When it is desired to remove the diaphragm for making repairs within the {ire-box, the

union-joints b b and c c are uncoupled, and the pipes B B and C C are unscrewed from the diaphragm, operating from the outside. The

diaphragm, being now disconnected from the boiler, may be turned sidewise and slipped down inside the tire-box. The sides of the diaphragm being somewhat curved, as shown in 4o Fig. 3, the diaphragm can be readily turned inside the re-box and made to fit quite close sides of the fire-box, to protect the pipes B and C as much as possible from the fire, which would otherwise tend to destroy the screwthread which enters the side of the diaphragm,

and prevent its being readily unscrewed. If brackets are used underneath the pipes, as has been mentioned, the pipes receive an additional protection from the `fire.

Vhen it is desired to clean out the diaphragm, the pipes C G are unjointed just outside the boiler, and water or steam blown through from one side to the other. The space between the end of the diaphragm and the flue-sheet allows the cinders which collect on top of the diaphragm to drop down through to the lire..

I claiml.` In alocomotive-boiler,awater-diaphragm connected with said boiler by pipes passing through the water-legs of said boiler, and thence returning into said water legs, said pipes having `union -joints or other suitable connections which adapt them to bevreadily removed from said diaphragm, disconnecting it from the boiler, substantially as described.

2. In a locomotive-boiler,a water-diaphragm connected with the lower portion of the waterlegs of said boiler and with the upper portion of the water-space of said boiler by pipes pass ing outward through said Waterlegs, and thence returning into said boiler, said pipes being provided with union-joints, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WINSLOV TITCOMB.

Vitnesses:

.H. D. BATES, S. NV. BATES. 

